Seward High School Academic Decathlon Team Wins State Championship at Academic Decathlon
Medium Size Schools Division- Sponsored by the Seward Rotary Club and SHS HAL Program
Launch the media gallery 1 playerOn Saturday, February 15th the SHS AD Team was presented the Ne Academic Decathlon State Championship-Medium School Division after competing in a series of online tests, a speech contest, an essay contest, an individual interview and a quiz bowl competition. The team’s essay contest was at 7:00 AM on February 4 with an online format at Seward High and the rest of the competition was held at Bellevue University near Omaha over a two-day period -February 14th and 15th, 2025. The team was required to finish the contest in person with nine students competing, after winning the Regional Contest on an online venue!
The SHS AD Team was given tests in Economics, Literature, Language Arts and Social Science, and Math-plus each student was required to present a speech, have a personal interview and write an essay, along with a Quiz Bowl on the Environment “Our Changing Climate!”
The speech and interviews were in full business attire and the students wore their Rotary Academic Tee Shirts at the Saturday competition.
The SHS Academic Decathlon Team for State included for 2024-2025 includes members Nathan Shafer, Abigayil Wunderlich, Elizabeth Pracheil, Lukas Howe, Liam Krahulik, David Shiner, Jack Schulz and Connor Sveeggen! Other SHS students on the local SHS Academic Decathlon team not attending State included Lincoln Stockwell, Dylan Hochstein, Kyla Novak, and Nathan Weber. SHS was allowed to have 12 students at the Regionals and only nine at the State Contest.
The results of the February 14-15 Medium School Medals from Seward High included
Math-
Varsity Level 2nd David Shiner, 3rd Abigayl Wunderlich
Scholastic Level 1st Nathan Shafer, 2nd Lucas Howe,
Honors Level 2nd Jack Schulz,
Science
Varsity Level 2nd Abigayil Wunderlich,
Scholastic Level 2nd Nathan Shafer, 3rd Liam Krahulik,
Social Science
Scholastic Level 2nd Liam Krahulik
Essay
Varsity Level 2nd Lincoln Stockwell,
Speech
Scholastic Level 3rd Lucas Howe, 3rd Nathan Shafer
Interview
Honors 3rd Jack Schulz,
SUPER QUIZ BOWL
Varsity Level 3rd David Shiner and Abigayil Wunderlich
Scholastic Level 3rd Liam Krahulik, Lucas Howe and Nathan Shafer
Honors Level 3rd Jack Schulz, Elizabeth Pracheil and Connor Sveeggen
It should also be noted that the top team scorer medal was awarded to Jack Schulz
One team from all the levels-Very Large, Large, Medium, Small and Very Small was selected to represent Nebraska at the National level-the winning team was Mount Michael High School. Seward competed against Medium Schools Omaha Skutt, Omaha Daniel Gross, Lexington, Alliance, Beatrice and York.
The students each compete in a series of tests including math, literature, language, art, music, economics, science and social science-all online. There is also a Super Quiz Bowl program, and an awards presentation, Awards and medals will be presented to the students in the three areas of Honors, Scholastic and Varsity levels. The novel studied this year is “Solar Storms” by Linda Hogan and the theme for this year’s contest is “Our Changing Climate.”
Seward High’s Academic Decathlon team is sponsored locally by the Seward Rotary Club and the Seward School District High Ability Learner program (HAL). The Seward Rotary Club is sponsoring team SHS AD Team Tee Shirts for the local SHS Academic Decathlon Team members. The Seward Rotary Club members serve as the Proctors for the testing days. The local coach for the SHS students is Noelle Baker, Counselor at Seward High.
At the Awards Finals -Team Photo ID-
L- R Jack Schulz, Liam Krahulik, Elizabeth Pracheil, David Shiner, Abigayil Wunderlich, Connor Sveeggen, Nathan Shafer, Lukas Howe. Not pictured was the SHS AD Coach and Sponsor Noelle Baker.